Summer of Love
by JPeg150
Summary: Kurt unexpectedly starts a relationship with none other than Jesse St. James, and Finn isn't too happy about it. St. Hummel romance, Kinn bromance, and a tiny bit of Finchel! Multi-chaptered.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was shining brightly on that hot summer day. Kurt Hummel was driving his beloved Lincoln Navigator to the mall for some well-deserved shopping. He turned the music on, and began singing along to Lady GaGa's _Alejandro_ while thinking about how his life was turning out.

It had been two weeks since the William McKinley glee club had lost at Regionals, and now the final school exams were over as well. Kurt had the whole day to himself, and that made him very happy. Things were better at home; Finn was finally getting more comfortable with the fact that they had to share the same bedroom. He had also apologized for that dreaded day when they had a huge fight. In fact, the two of them were now closer than ever. Finn was in a relationship with Rachel Berry for the second time, and often confided in Kurt. It did sting a little, since Kurt had had feelings for Finn for a long time, but he was actually glad that it allowed them to bond. Kurt had once and for all accepted that he could never be with Finn the way he wanted, but he still loved him very much, and would keep doing so as a friend.

At the mall, Kurt went to the Guess store. It wasn't exactly his taste, but he knew his best friend Mercedes had her eyes set on a leather purse she had seen there, and her birthday was the following week, so Kurt had decided to buy it for her. As he was browsing men jeans, plugged to his iPod, the purse tucked under his arm, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, startled.

"Kurt Hummel."

Much to Kurt's surprise, Jesse St. James was standing in front of him. Kurt quickly pulled his earbuds off.

"Jesse St. James. I'm surprised you even remember my name."

"Don't sell yourself short, Kurt. You're quite hard to forget."

The taller young man was smiling his usual cocky smile. He was wearing a designer t-shirt and dark boot-cut jeans. Kurt thought he looked strikingly handsome, but he quickly brushed aside these thoughts. He was the enemy, the star of Vocal Adrenaline. Kurt just _couldn't_ think he was hot. Evil? Yeah, definitely. But hot? No way.

Kurt gave Jesse his most bitchy look. "What do you want from me?"

Jesse laughed. "Calm down, Adam Lambert. I saw you, and I thought we could chat for a bit. Is that so wrong? After all, we used to be in the same glee club."

"Yes, before you ran back to Vocal Adrenaline because, quote, we never really accepted you. And at about the same time, Rachel found out her mother is in fact the coach of _your_ glee club. Weird coincidence, isn't it?"

Jesse's smile grew even larger. "You're even cleverer than I thought."

Kurt couldn't help but blush a little, flattered. Maybe Jesse was evil, but the fact remained that he was popular and, well, older.

Kurt forced himself to seem exasperated. "Really, Jesse, let's stop this right here. What could we possibly have to say to each other? We have nothing in common."

Jesse leaned closer to Kurt. "That's where you're wrong, Kurt Hummel. We have a lot more in common than you think."

Kurt recognized that strange sparkle in the eyes of the star of Vocal Adrenaline: lust. The young man's heartbeat went faster.

"And just what do you mean by that?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Jesse answered, leaning even closer. Their foreheads were almost touching. "I'm gay."

They looked into each other's blue eyes. Kurt could feel the electricity between them.

"Is that creep giving you any trouble, Kurt?" a girl's voice asked.

Kurt jumped back, startled. They both looked towards the entrance of the store and saw Mercedes walking up to them at a fast pace.

Without waiting for Kurt to answer, she pointed her finger at Jesse. "You stay away from my boy Kurt, you hear me?"

"No offense, Mercedes, but I think Kurt's old enough to decide that himself." Jesse was still smiling, but much to his surprise, Kurt could see a hint of disappointment in his expression.

"Oh, puh-lease. Kurt doesn't want anything to do with the Vocal Adrenaline douche-bag-in-chief. So back off, 'kay?"

Jesse raised his hands as a sign of surrender. Then he looked at Kurt one last time, smiled and… winked.

"What the heck did he want from you?" Mercedes asked as Jesse exited the store. She obviously hadn't seen the wink; otherwise she wouldn't have asked that question.

Kurt was still too stunned to answer properly. "He… I… um… let's talk about this later, okay? Wanna go to my house?"

Kurt furtively dropped the purse and pulled Mercedes out of the store, giving one last look to the spot where the unexpected meeting had taken place.

* * *

"Oh… my… god. Jesse St. James is GAY?"

The two best friends were lying comfortably on floating lounge chairs in Kurt's huge above-ground pool, each holding a virgin strawberry daiquiri in a plastic cup.

"That's what he told me. But in all honesty, I don't think we can trust anything that comes out of that boy's mouth."

"Why did he tell you that, anyway?"

"I don't know…" Kurt was glad he was wearing sunglasses so his embarrassment wasn't too apparent. "I kind of think he was coming on to me."

Mercedes laughed. "What?"

Kurt got offended. "Insulting much? Is it so hard to believe that a handsome young man would try to seduce me?"

"Sorry, Kurt. You know that's not what I meant. It's just so unexpected after, you know… Rachel."

"I know. Sorry." Kurt replied with a much friendlier tone. "And you're right. I knew he was faking that relationship with Rachel, but if Jesse really is gay, then I have no idea how he managed to pull that off. Just the thought of being in a relationship with that girl makes me sick."

"Do you think they… you know…"

Kurt raised his D&G sunglasses to look at his friend. "What, had sex? I don't know, and I have no interest in the matter. All I know is that I dread the day I'll walk on Finn and Rachel in my bedroom."

They chatted some more after that ("What were you doing at Guess anyway?" "Me? Nothing."), just lying in the sun. They didn't hear the tall dark-haired teenager who climbed on the swimming pool's deck.

"Hey, guys."

Kurt and Mercedes both looked up to see Finn, grinning in his swimsuit. Kurt's heart stopped for half a second. No matter how many times he had seen the taller boy without a shirt on, it always did things to him. That smirk, however, was not a good thing.

"What are you doing here, Finn? Aren't you with Rachel?" Kurt asked.

"Nope, she's got ballet lessons. I heard you guys and I thought I'd join you! I hope you don't mind."

"Don't you DARE!" Kurt shouted.

But it was too late. Finn stepped back a bit, then ran to the edge of the deck and jumped in the water, holding his knees close to his head. The result was just what he had hoped for: Kurt and Mercedes were now soaking wet.

"You… you bastard!" Kurt said, half surprised and half mock-offended.

"Oh, you are SO getting it, white boy!" Mercedes added.

They both got off their lounge chairs and proceeded to thoroughly splash water in Finn's face. The friendly battle went on for a while before the teenagers decided to call it a day and went inside the house for dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you very much to everyone who reviewed or favorited my story! I'm glad you like it! I would like to thank my beta reader and BFF, SquirrelOfTheNight. You're the best! :)**

* * *

_Kurt recognized that strange sparkle in the eyes of the star of Vocal Adrenaline: lust. The young man's heartbeat went faster._

"_And just what do you mean by that?"_

"_You know exactly what I mean," Jesse answered, leaning even closer. Their foreheads were almost touching. "I'm gay."_

_They looked into each other's blue eyes. Kurt could feel the electricity between them. Jesse then touched Kurt's hips with both of his hands._

"_I'm gay, and I want you. Right here, right now."_

_He then passionately and hungrily kissed Kurt's mouth, lowering his hands on the shorter young man's butt. Jesse's lips were hard and soft and Kurt let out a moan when he started kissing his neck._

"_Oh, Jesse…"_

Kurt…

"_Jesse…"_

Kurt!

"_Ooooh…"_

KURT!

He finally woke up. It had only been a dream, but it had felt so real. He could literally taste Jesse's lips on his own. After a few more seconds, he realized that Finn was looking at him from his bed. He moved his blanket to hide the fact that he had a hard-on, and looked back at Finn, who seemed downright horrified.

"What? Did I wake you up?"

"Dude…" Finn uttered, "…why the hell did you say 'Jesse' in your sleep?"

Kurt's face went bright red. "Did I? How ridiculous. You must have misheard."

"I'm not stupid, Kurt. What the hell, man? You're hot for him or something?"

"I beg your pardon?" Kurt asked, offended. "I will not have this conversation with you, Finn. Go back to sleep."

"Fine, dude, whatever."

Finn turned his back to Kurt and went back to sleep, leaving the other boy slightly ashamed and very confused.

* * *

The next morning, as Kurt was taking his breakfast, his dad came up to him.

"Kurt, I could really use some help at the auto shop today, do you think you could lend a hand?"

"Well, actually…" Kurt replied, "I was planning on going shopping with Quinn and Mercedes."

"Didn't you go shopping yesterday?"

Kurt stared blankly at his father. "…And your point is…?"

Mr. Hummel sighed. "Never mind. Please, son… If you postpone your shopping, I'll give you some extra money."

The young man chuckled. "I don't need a candy, dad. I'll help you anyway. Let me just call Mercedes."

When the Hummel men got to the auto shop, Kurt had to admit that it was indeed pretty busy that day. Throughout the years he had learned quite a few things from his dad about cars, and was able to perform minor fixes and maintenance. He actually enjoyed it; it kept him in touch with the masculine side of his personality, and it was much more interesting than sports.

Kurt had been working for a few hours when a black Range Rover parked on the side of the street. His eyes grew wider and wider as Jesse St. James was walking towards him through the open garage door. Luckily, Kurt's dad was in the office room finalizing a transaction with a customer.

"Jesse!" Kurt managed to mumble.

"Hello, Kurt." Jesse flashed the shorter teenager a dazzling smile.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"I need to have my brakes checked."

"Oh…" The disappointment was obvious in Kurt's voice.

Jesse started to laugh. "I'm kidding. I wanted to talk, or rather… apologize to you."

"Apologize for what?"

"For coming out to you so bluntly yesterday. It was out of the blue."

Kurt chuckled. "That's the least you could say."

In a very un-Jesse-like manner, the taller teenager blushed. "Yeah, well… there was motive behind my confession."

They looked intently into each other's eyes. "I'm listening." Kurt finally said.

Jesse took a deep breath. "All the time that I was a member of your glee club, all the time that I was Rachel's boyfriend… I was actually interested in someone else: you. I've never met someone quite like you. I wanted to tell you that so badly, but I still had to pretend to be in love with Rachel, and you deserved better than a faux-straight boy. When I saw you yesterday, I knew it was time to come clean and tell you that I really, really like you, Kurt."

Kurt was in shock. For years he had made up romantic scenarios in his head (which mostly involved Finn), but he had almost lost hope that such a thing would ever happen to him during his teenage years. And there stood Jesse St. James, a hot senior who was telling him that he liked him!

Kurt had to focus very hard to manage to speak coherently. "You-you like… me?"

Jesse chuckled, his face going even redder. "Yes, I do. And… I'd like to ask you if you'd like to go out with me…?"

"YES!" The word had escaped Kurt's lips almost instantly. The fact that Jesse was evil no longer mattered at all.

The smile that spread on Jesse's face was one of the most beautiful things Kurt had ever seen. That boy definitely had a gorgeous smile, and right now he seemed genuinely ecstatic.

"Excellent!" Jesse replied. "How does Friday night sounds?"

"It sounds perfect!" Kurt answered, trying his best to get a hold of himself and stop acting like a 13-year-old girl.

"Awesome! I'll be here at 8. Now…" Jesse then said, a cheeky look in his eyes. "We only have one little problem."

Kurt suddenly became worried. "What is it?"

"Being a proper gentleman, I would now pick up your hand and kiss it. But unfortunately, it is covered in grease. I guess there is only one solution…"

Jesse put his own hand on Kurt's shoulder, and planted a smooch on the shorter teenager's soft cheek. "See you on Friday, Kurt Hummel."

As Jesse left, Kurt didn't even realize he was putting grease on his face as he touched the spot where the handsome young man had kissed him. He could still feel the electricity.

* * *

As soon as Kurt was back in the house, he called Mercedes.

"You are not going to believe what happened to me today!" Kurt announced excitedly as a greeting.

Mercedes laughed. "You spent the day working on cars with your dad, what could have possibly happened?"

"Jesse came to see me."

"I told that idiot to stay away from you! I'm gonna kill him!" the girl angrily said.

"Your concern is really touching, but please don't kick his ass. I'd like for him to remain healthy, since I am actually going on a date with him on Friday."

"You… going on a date with Jesse St. James?"

"Yes!" Mercedes could almost hear Kurt's huge grin.

"How can you trust him? He lied to us all _and_ he beat us at Regionals! He's a total jerk! You deserve so much better than that!"

Kurt was now walking down the stairs leading to his bedroom.

"Maybe, 'cedes, but… _holy shimmer_."

When Kurt reached the last step, he was struck by a vision of horror. Finn and Rachel. Making out. In his bedroom. When they realized they were no longer alone, they pulled away from each other and stared awkwardly at the newcomer, sitting on Finn's bed with tousled hair.

"Something came up. I'll call you back later."

Kurt didn't wait for Mercedes' answer and hung up. He walked past the two other teenagers, glaring at them with slight disdain before lying down on his own bed. He then flipped open his copy of the latest _Cosmo_ and started reading. It wasn't that Kurt still had romantic feelings for the other boy, because he really didn't. But seeing them sucking face like there was no tomorrow _in his own bedroom_ bugged him to no end.

"Uhm… Kurt? We kinda wanted to be alone here…" Finn explained, looking positively embarrassed.

Kurt didn't even look up from his magazine. "This basement was my sanctuary long before you even stepped in this house, Finn. So I'm sorry, but I have priority here. You two will have to engage in heterosexual intercourse somewhere else."

"Dude, that is so not cool!" Finn said, looking outraged. Rachel remained silent, ashamed. She knew she could give Kurt a run for his money if she pulled the diva attitude, but she knew better than doing so in his own house.

"Forget it, Finn. We can go to my house." Rachel finally said.

"There! Problem solved." Kurt replied, eyes still glued to the magazine.

Finn shot him a resentful look, and followed his girlfriend upstairs.

Much to his surprise, Kurt wasn't feeling so proud of himself when he heard the front door slam shut.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here it is... the date! This one's pretty long, but don't get used to it! Thank you so much to all of you who favorited this story! But please review too! :)**

* * *

When Finn came back home that night, Kurt was already in bed, but he wasn't sleeping. He was feeling guilty for his reaction, and had waited for the opportunity to apologize.

"Finn?" Kurt asked, breaking the silence of the darkened room.

After a few awkward seconds, Finn answered. "…Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry for the way I reacted this afternoon. I was out of line. I'm still not totally used to sharing this bedroom with you, and… it just kind of shocked me to see you and Rachel _here_ together. But it's now your room as well, and you can do whatever you want. Things are good between us now, and I don't want to ruin our friendship. So… once again, I'm sorry."

Kurt heard Finn sigh. "Okay."

The shorter boy stretched his arm to turn his bedside lamp on. He could now see that Finn was sitting on his own bed, and was looking at him.

"Okay? Does it mean that you forgive me?"

Finn smiled slightly. "Of course I forgive you. But let me make something clear."

Kurt sat up. "What is it?"

"Rachel and I weren't about to have sex, dude! We were just making out. I respect you way too much to do that here. I'm not even angry that you basically threw us out, because I understand your reasons. I just kind of feel insulted that you believed I would do _it_ in our bedroom." Finn suddenly stared at the floor. "But then again… I haven't always been exactly respectful to you… so…"

Kurt immediately knew what the other boy was referring to. "Finn, please stop beating yourself up for that. You're a good guy, and a good friend. You prove it to me every time you show me how much you regret that sad episode. _I_ screwed up today, so… wanna call it even?"

"Well… what you did really isn't a big deal compared to what I said to you, but… if you're the one suggesting it, then.. yeah, I'd love that."

"Great!" Kurt replied.

They both felt relieved. "So… friends again?" Finn asked, getting up to stand in front of Kurt.

The fashionable teen stood up as well. "More than ever." He was expecting a manly handshake or something of the sort, and was quite shocked when Finn gave him a big hug. He squeezed the jock back, extremely happy with this outcome.

* * *

Friday just couldn't come early enough for Kurt. He was tremendously excited about his date with Jesse, even though Mercedes still wasn't convinced of the young man's good intentions. "Just don't trust him too easily, ok? Let him earn it." And even though he was thrilled about the date, he knew Mercedes was right. Jesse had literally tricked Rachel into falling in love with him, so how could he be sure that he wasn't trying to do the same to him? What he did know was that he couldn't tell Finn about Jesse. Even though the jock was now basically his best friend, except of course Mercedes, there was no way he would be happy that Kurt was seeing his girlfriend's ex.

When the big day finally arrived, it took him a good two hours to figure out what to wear. He settled on a pair of dark skinny designer jeans, a revealing black shirt and some Louis Vuitton shoes. He knew he was showing off by dressing so tightly, but it made him all the more confident.

At exactly 8 o'clock, he heard the doorbell ring. Luckily, he was alone; his dad and Carole were out on a date of their own, and Finn was at Rachel's. Kurt opened the front door to greet Jesse. He couldn't mutter a single word, however, because he was blown away by Jesse's stunningly good looks. The star of Vocal Adrenaline was wearing dark striped pants, a white dress shirt, an argyle sweater and rich-looking black leather shoes.

"Good evening, Mr. Hummel. You look gorgeous."

"Why, thank you, Mr. St. James. You look very handsome too. Very… British."

Jesse laughed. "My mother was born in London, so that might explain my love of argyle. It can be beautiful when well-dosed."

"I couldn't agree more."

They stared at each other, marveled by each other's handsomeness. Jesse then offered his hand to the shorter young man. "Shall we?"

Kurt couldn't help but grin widely as he took Jesse's hand and they walked to the black Range Rover. Always the gentleman, Jesse opened the passenger door for Kurt before getting in the vehicle from the driver's side.

"I made a reservation at an Italian restaurant. It's right across the street from Carmel High. Do you know which one I'm talking about?"

Of course he did, it was one of the most classy and expensive restaurants in Lima! Kurt thought this date was already going extremely well. "Yes, I have heard of it" he simply answered.

Jesse turned the engine on, and off they were.

"Have you told anyone about our date?" Jesse asked.

"Only Mercedes. And she wants to beat you up."

"Ha! I can't really blame her. I'm aware that my history with your glee club could be held against me, but I'm really glad that you agreed to go out with me. I swear my intentions are pure."

"Not _too_ pure, I dare hope." Kurt said with a cheeky smirk.

"That, my dear, is up to you."

It suddenly got very hot in that vehicle, Kurt told himself as the two boys exchanged a lust-filled glance.

"I thought you were a gentleman, Mr. St. James."

"I _am_ a gentleman, but it is impossible not to get a little aroused when you dress like that. You sure know how to show off your body."

"I'm sorry; next time I'll wear baggy clothes just for you."

"I absolutely forbid you! Although I'm sure you could wear a potato sack and still look stunning."

"That is not something I intend to try, but thank you nonetheless."

They remained silent until they reached the restaurant's parking lot. It was not an uncomfortable silence, far from it. Both boys were simply enjoying the bliss of each other's company.

Once again, Jesse opened the door for Kurt and held his hand. Kurt couldn't believe how well-mannered he was, which was a huge contrast compared to all the morons at McKinley.

Inside the restaurant, they were greeted by the maitre d', a tall bald man wearing a suit.

"Jesse St. James. I made a reservation for a table for two."

"Of course" the man replied after checking the register. "Please follow me."

They followed him to a candle-lit table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Kurt thought the setting looked extremely romantic.

The bald maitre d' left and was soon replaced by a pretty brunette waitress. "Good evening, my name is Gretchen and I will be your waitress tonight. Would you like to start with red wine?" the young woman asked them. She was practically undressing Jesse with her eyes, which had Kurt frowning.

Jesse didn't even look at her, eyes locked on his date. "It sounds very tempting, but unfortunately, my date and I are both underage. We'll have a bottle of San Pellegrino, please. Is that okay with you, dear?"

Kurt flashed the waitress a victorious smile. "Excellent idea, Mr. St. James."

"Of course. I'm sorry." The waitress quickly left, a sheepish look on her face.

They looked at the menus for a few moments until they both decided what to eat. "So…" Kurt then said, looking straight into Jesse's blue eyes. "Tell me more about yourself. Tell me all about the famous Jesse St. James."

Jesse chuckled. "My reputation is overrated, really. And my life isn't that exciting. I live with my parents, or I should say, I live in my parents' empty house. They travel all the time. My father, Oliver, is a journalist. He met my mother Susan in London twenty years ago when he covered a West End production she starred in. My mom's an actress; she doesn't work anymore, though. She just follows my father. That's probably why my success is so important to them, and especially to her."

Kurt noticed a hint of sadness in Jesse's voice. "So you're all by yourself, all the time?"

"More or less. I could live with my uncle if I wanted, but I'm used to being alone. It suits me just fine most of the time… and when it doesn't, I pay him a visit. That's what I did back when I went to your school. Uncle Joe lives a few blocks away from McKinley High."

"Yes, I remember Mr. Schuester mentioning it."

Gretchen the waitress arrived with the bottle of sparkling water. "Are you ready to order?"

"Indeed. I'll have the three-cheese lasagna, with a garden salad, please." Jesse then winked at Kurt. "It's my favorite."

The waitress wrote it down on her pad, and then looked at Kurt.

"I'll have the rigatoni with the tomato and basil sauce, and a garden salad as well, please.

"Perfect!" the waitress concluded. She picked up the menus and looked longingly at Jesse, and then she left.

"That girl wants you so bad!" Kurt said.

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed. See, I only have eyes for you." Jesse answered before kissing Kurt's hand.

"You're very sweet, Mr. St. James."

"I do my best. But what about you, Mr. Hummel? I don't know that much about you, besides the fact that you are gorgeous and that you sing beautifully."

Kurt blushed. "Well… My dad, Burt, is a mechanic, but you already know that. My mother, Kate, died when I was eight."

Jesse took Kurt's hand and squeezed it a bit. "I am very sorry to hear that."

Kurt smiled shyly. "Thank you. My dad is now in a relationship with Finn's mom, Carole. And I wouldn't be surprised if within a year, Finn officially becomes my step-brother."

Jesse frowned. "Uhm. Well… I hope he won't mind us being together… Though I highly doubt it…"

Kurt couldn't help but finish Jesse's sentence. "…After what happened with Rachel?"

"Precisely."

"Don't worry about it. It's none of his business."

Jesse's face lit up. At the same moment, Gretchen the waitress was back with their plates. Once again, she flashed Jesse a smile. "Bon appétit!"

_Get lost!_ Kurt mentally shot back at her.

Jesse carefully cut a piece of lasagna and slowly, with spontaneous sensuality, brought his fork to his mouth, eyes closed. Kurt couldn't get his eyes off his wet lips. "Mmm… this is just _so_ good."

He opened his eyes and blushed a bit. "Sorry, I just really like the lasagna in this restaurant."

"I can see that…" Kurt answered, still kind of awestruck.

"Would you like a bite?" Jesse innocently asked.

"Sure."

Kurt lifted his fork, but Jesse gently put his hand on his arm to stop him. "Please, allow me."

He took a piece with his own fork, and lifted it all the way to Kurt's waiting mouth. Their eyes locked as Kurt enjoyed the lasagna, which was indeed excellent.

They ate in silence for a moment, and then resumed their conversation.

"There is a question I'd like to ask you…" Kurt said.

"Go ahead."

"Well… when you told me you were gay, I have to say that it was quite a surprise. I mean, as far as all the students at McKinley High know, you are straight. So…"

"You want to know if I'm out and proud."

"Yes, exactly."

Jesse smiled. "I'm out to the people who count: my family, Ms. Corcoran and all of my fellow members in Vocal Adrenaline. I don't hide who I am from the rest of the world; I just don't feel the need to shout it out loud."

"So everyone accepted you in Vocal Adrenaline?"

"Kurt, except Danny and Craig, though I have doubts about the latter, _all_ the guys in Vocal Adrenaline are gay. It's show choir, dear. I'm actually really surprised that you are the only gay in _your_ glee club."

Kurt couldn't hide his surprise. "I guess you must have had a lot of experience, then…"

"Not really, no. I'm a romantic, and I only go for serious relationships. I have had only one boyfriend in my life, and it was quite a while ago. Some of the boys in my glee club are real sluts, though. I'm a gentleman, remember?" They both laughed.

"Your question was more than legitimate. I know I had to pose as a straight man for a while, so you may still have doubts about me, and I don't blame you. But I assure you, I am gay. My relationship with Rachel Berry was only acting on my part. I'm not proud of it, but I don't regret it."

"Why is that?"

"Because I did it for Ms. Corcoran. After all she has done for me, and for the team, it was the least I could do. I owe her a lot. I wouldn't be where I am today without her."

Kurt chuckled. "I'm not sure I'd do the same for Mr. Schue."

"Mr. Schuester is way too nice, he would never ask such a thing from one of his kids. But Ms. Corcoran can be quite devious, believe me."

They laughed, and then Jesse became serious again. "I really like you, Kurt, more than anyone I've met before. And if you still have doubts, try asking Rachel about me. You'll realize that she doesn't know that much about my life, because I've never told her anything. You already know more about me than she ever did, because I really _do_ care about you. I want you to know me. I trust you."

Kurt could see the devotion in Jesse's eyes, and at this moment, all the lingering doubts vanished from his mind. He took the taller boy's hand and caressed it. "I believe you."

* * *

The date went smoothly, like in a dream. Kurt was in a blissful daze as Jesse walked him to the door after driving him home.

"I've had a wonderful time, Mr. St. James."

"Me too, Mr. Hummel."

They stared intently at each other. "May I have a goodnight kiss?" Jesse whispered.

Kurt put his hand on Jesse's shoulder. "You may."

Jesse cupped the shorter young man's cheek. Their faces grew slowly closer until their lips met, and the boys shared a kiss that was sweeter and more romantic than anything Kurt had ever imagined.

This perfect moment, the best of Kurt's life, was suddenly brought to an abrupt halt when the front door slammed open. They quickly pulled away from each other and saw Finn, standing on the porch, looking furious.

"What the fuck is this?" Finn shouted.

"Language, Finn! And seriously, what do you _think_ it is?"

Finn didn't even pay attention to Kurt. "Keep your fucking hands off Kurt, St. James!"

He took a step towards Jesse, but Kurt stopped him, putting a hand on the taller boy's chest. "You calm the heck down, Finn! You're being ridiculous!"

"How can you seriously like this guy? He's an asshole!" Finn told Kurt, almost yelling at him.

"Hey, you have no right to say that! Rachel's a stuck-up bitch, but do I ever bug you about it?"

"It's not the same thing! You KNOW what he did to her!"

"Yes, I do. And you know what? I don't care! Jesse is very nice, and we are dating! He makes me happy! I deserve to be happy, Finn Hudson! So MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!"

Kurt had literally screamed the last sentences, and then ran inside of the house, ashamed of the tears that were pouring down his cheeks. Outside, Finn pointed his finger at Jesse, who was walking back to his car.

"Stay away from Kurt, St. James."

"That is not yours to decide, Hudson." Jesse answered as he opened the door.

"Oh yeah? Try me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Here's a bit of drama, but don't worry, there will be more fluffy bits eventually! :)**

* * *

The next two weeks were rather strange for Kurt. He spent a lot of time with Jesse; they were getting to know each other, and Kurt was starting to realize that he was really falling for the older young man, and the feeling was entirely mutual. They had gone bowling, seen a concert in Dayton and been twice to the movies. They had made out during one of the movies, and Kurt had found the experience mind-blowing.

And to Kurt's absolute delight, Mercedes was beginning to change her mind about Jesse. "The boy can't be that bad, I haven't seen you this happy, like, ever!" The young man was very glad that he could count on his best friend and talk to her about everything he was going through.

Kurt's friendship with Finn, however, was going through a rough patch; he was basically ignoring the taller boy. Even though the latter had tried a couple times to talk things through, Kurt would have none of it. His relationship with Jesse was amazing, and he didn't want Finn to rain on his parade.

It was early afternoon, and Kurt was driving to Jesse's house. He had never seen where the other boy lived, and was pretty curious. Jesse had told him that his parents were "somewhat wealthy", so he wasn't sure what to expect.

When he got there, Kurt whistled in admiration. The house, located in a part of Lima he had never been in, was truly beautiful. It was big and white, with lots of bushes and flowers in the front yard. Kurt parked his car behind Jesse's black Range Rover, and then walked to the bright blue door. A widely smiling Jesse St. James opened to him after he rang the doorbell.

"Welcome, Mr. Hummel."

"You have a lovely home, Mr. St. James" Kurt said as he stepped inside the house.

"Thank you very much."

They were alone; Jesse's parents were in Europe for the summer. The taller teenager gave Kurt the grand tour of the St. James residence. His parents obviously had exquisite taste, Kurt thought as he admired the numerous souvenirs and antiques from all over the world that filled the house. Before long, they ended up in Jesse's bedroom.

The idea of sex had always been both very real and very theoretical for Kurt. It was often on his mind; he was a teenage boy, after all. He had fantasized over men ever since he had discovered his sexuality. But the idea of actually doing it was still pretty scary. It was a _very_ big deal. He had always looked forward to his first time, but now the boy with whom he would potentially share this first experience had a face and a name: Jesse St. James. It had never been more real. Was he ready? He seriously had no idea. It was much too soon in their relationship for his liking, but he wasn't Jesse's first boyfriend, so he didn't want to disappoint him, either. He did _want_ Jesse, of course he did. He was gorgeous, with his thick brown locks, million dollar smile and nicely built body. It just didn't feel totally right… yet.

They sat on Jesse's huge undone bed. The star of Vocal Adrenaline slept in black silk sheets, nothing less. The feel of it was disconcertingly erotic.

"So…" Jesse began, holding Kurt's hand. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Kurt gulped. He suddenly became nervous and strangely excited. "Okay…"

"We've been seeing each other for a few weeks now… and I have enjoyed every minute of it. You're incredible, Kurt. I really enjoy having you in my life…"

Kurt listened with much interest. The conversation was not taking the direction he had expected.

"So I thought we might make our relationship a bit more official… I'd like us to be boyfriends. If you want to."

Kurt was speechless. This had to be the most adorable thing anyone had ever asked him!

"…Kurt? What do you think?"

As an answer, Kurt jumped on Jesse and kissed him passionately. "Yes, Jesse St. James. I will be your boyfriend."

Jesse laughed. "You make me very happy, Kurt Hummel."

"You too, dear." And he meant it. Boyfriends… Kurt liked the sound of it. And he understood that Jesse was old-fashioned; it would still be a while before they made love. They had all the time in the world. For now, the boys simply lay on the bed, kissing and cuddling.

* * *

When he got back home, right before dinner, Kurt was greeted by Carole, who was cooking in the kitchen.

"It smells good in here!" Kurt said.

"Thank you, sweetie! You and Finn are always out lately, so I thought I'd cook a real dinner tonight. I'm almost done, could you get the dishes?"

Kurt took off his shoes and helped Carole with the meal. Ten minutes later, right on cue, Finn got up from the basement and Burt came in from the garage. They all sat down in their usual seats, so the boys were facing each other. Kurt kept his eyes on his plate, feeling Finn's gaze on him.

"So, what are you boys up to these days? We barely ever see you!" Burt asked them.

"I just play basket-ball with Mike and Matt, and hang out at Rachel's. I think her dads like me."

"Are you being safe?" Carole asked.

"Mom!" an outraged Finn said.

"Just checking." Carole chuckled.

"What about you, son? Do you spend all that time with Mercedes?" Burt asked.

Finn snorted. Kurt glared at him from across the table. He knew it was a bad idea as he began to speak, but he just couldn't resist.

"Actually, no. I was with my boyfriend."

The adults looked at him like he had grown a second head. Finn frowned. "Oh, so he's your boyfriend now?"

"Yes, Finn!" Kurt answered disdainfully. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"You know I do! I…"

But Finn was suddenly interrupted by Burt. "You have a boyfriend! Why don't I know about that? Who is he?"

"His name is Jesse St. James, Dad."

"Does he go to school with you?"

"No, Dad. He used to go to Carmel High, but he graduated this year."

"WHAT? He's older than you?"

"He's 18, he's not _that_ much older than me."

"Umph. Do you know that boy, Finn? Because you didn't seem so happy that Kurt's seeing him…" Burt asked the other teenager.

Kurt suddenly had cold sweats. If Finn told Burt about the whole Rachel debacle, he would surely forbid Kurt to see Jesse again. He looked at the other boy and silently begged him to keep his mouth shut.

"Uhm… He was in Carmel High's glee club, Vocal Adrenaline. They're the ones who beat us at Regionals."

He didn't say anything more, and looked at Kurt. The emotion was easy to read: reluctant agreement. Kurt relaxed a little, and gave the other boy a grateful smile.

"I'd like to meet this boy. Invite him over soon, okay?" Burt told his son.

"Of course, Dad."

* * *

After dinner, Finn and Kurt went straight to their bedroom downstairs. They knew they needed to have a conversation that was already long overdue.

They each sat on their own bed, facing each other. Kurt took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. Hopefully things would remain civil.

"Thank you, Finn, for being discreet about New Direction's history with my boyfriend."

"Dude, are you really in a relationship with Jesse fucking St. James?"

_Oh, so that's how it's going to be…_ Kurt thought, his expression instantly darkening.

"Do NOT insult my boyfriend, Finn Hudson."

"Kurt, this boy is bad news! I knew it the minute I saw him!"

Kurt stood up. "You're just frustrated because he stole your precious girlfriend in the first place, and she went back to good ol' dependable Finn when he got sick of her!"

Kurt knew his words had struck, because Finn looked hurt. But he didn't care. He was on a roll.

"Why didn't you tell my dad, anyway? You would have gotten exactly what you wanted: I would be alone again, more miserable than ever."

"Oh, come on, you know that's not what I want! I just _know_ he will end up hurting you, and I don't want that! I didn't tell Burt because I thought I'd be able to talk some sense into you myself, but it looks like I'm wrong."

"I do NOT need you to 'talk some sense into me', Finn! If anything, you should be happy for me! Happy that for the first time in my life, I truly feel loved by someone who's not my father."

"But we all love you, the whole glee club does! Mercedes loves you! I… love you." Finn looked down, ashamed of this sudden revelation.

Kurt could not believe his ears, could not believe the nerve of the boy. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. Do not even TRY to go there, Finn Hudson! You do NOT love me. You have told me loud and clear when you called me a fag. Jesse treats me with respect, something you have never done ever since I know you. You should just be glad that I don't have a _stupid_ crush on you anymore."

This was simply too much to take for Finn. The tall boy didn't handle arguments very easily, and couldn't hold back the tears that came to his eyes if his life depended on it. "That's not fair."

"Well, guess what, Finn? Life isn't fair. I learned that a long time ago." Kurt then stood up and left the basement.

"I'm going out!" Kurt simply shouted before slamming the front door shut, not waiting for an answer from the adults.


	5. Chapter 5

Kurt was seeing red. He drove around town aimlessly, just to avoid being home with _him_.

_How dare he! After everything he put me through!_ Kurt thought. He was holding the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.

Before he knew it, he was in front of Jesse's house. He walked to the front door and knocked. After a minute, Jesse opened the door, and seemed surprised to see Kurt. He was wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. Kurt's anger cooled down a little and he smiled.

"Hello, love. I didn't expect to see you…"

"Nice outfit."

Jesse chuckled. "Well, like I said, I didn't know you were coming back. Is everything ok?"

Kurt sighed. "I just had a huge argument with Finn."

"It was bound to happen, wasn't it?"

"I guess so…"

Jesse didn't say another word. He simply opened his arms, and Kurt cuddled against him, hid his face in his boyfriend's neck, inhaled his comforting scent. Jesse wrapped his arms around him and stroked his hair.

"_Mamma Mia!_ on my flat screen?" Jesse suggested after a moment.

"Well, aren't you the perfect man?" Kurt answered, looking up to see his boyfriend's handsome face.

"Even in sweatpants?"

"Oh yes, you're that good." Kurt then wrapped his arms around the taller boy's neck and gave him a big smooch on the lips.

* * *

After the movie, the boys cuddled on the sofa and chatted for a while, and then Kurt went back home, far more relaxed then when he had arrived at Jesse's. Still, he was relieved to discover that Finn was asleep.

The next morning, when Kurt woke up, his roommate was already up. He put on his robe and cautiously went upstairs. Finn was in the kitchen, already dressed, eating his cereals.

"Hello, Finn." Kurt's expression was blank, his voice was monotone.

"H-hi, Kurt…" Finn answered, his eyes on his bowl.

Kurt knew he was being unfair to the boy by holding a grudge like this, but he couldn't help it. He refused to let this go that easily. Finn had, throughout the years, consciously or not, caused so much pain to Kurt. Love hurts, especially when it's one-sided. More than once had Kurt cried himself to sleep over the quarterback… And when he was finally over him, when his life was better than ever, when he had met the gay boy of his dreams, Finn just had to mess with his heart again.

He still loved him. He would always love Finn Hudson; it was almost innate. It just wasn't the passionate, obsessive love he had felt for so long. It was much healthier; it was as strong as a gay guy could love a straight buddy. He was just so damn fond of the boy. It was a powerful feeling, even though it was hard to describe, to label it. And it's just so easy to be mad at someone when you love them so much.

"Can we talk?" Finn asked.

"Didn't do us much good yesterday, did it?" Kurt replied matter-of-factly.

"I know, but…"

"No, Finn. I know what you have to say, and I don't want to hear it."

"Okay…" Finn said; the awkwardness was palpable between them.

Finn put his bowl and spoon in the dishwasher.

"I'm going to play basket-ball with Mike and Matt…"

"It's a free country."

Looking downright miserable, Finn grabbed his ball and walked to the door. "Have a good day, Kurt…" he said in a tiny voice.

"You too, Finn." Kurt answered, still unconcerned.

After the taller boy left, Kurt sat on the couch in the living room and let out a big sigh. He didn't like being mean to Finn.

About an hour later, as Kurt was watching a rerun of _America's Next Top Model_, he heard the doorbell. He went to open the door, and was surprised to see who the visitor was.

"Rachel Berry."

The girl had a timid smile. "Hello, Kurt."

"Finn isn't here. He's…"

"…playing basket-ball with the boys. I know. I came here to see you."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "What could possibly be the reason?"

"Let me in and I'll tell you."

Rachel was probably the last person on Earth Kurt felt like talking to at that moment, but he was rather intrigued as to what she had to say, so he let her in. He sat in his father's big lazy-boy and crossed his legs, his hands on his lap. She sat on the couch, straight as an arrow. He looked at her intently, waiting for her to start talking.

"Finn told me that you are dating Jesse."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised… You're here to tell me to stay away from him, that he's trouble, blah blah blah… Am I right?"

"Actually, no. I rather think that you should go for it."

Kurt's eyes widened. This was the last thing he had expected to hear from her. "I beg your pardon?"

"I know you may be surprised to hear this from me, but I really think Jesse could be very good for you. When I learned that he was gay, well… let's just say that a lot of puzzle pieces fell into place. I should have seen this much sooner. I grew up with two gay dads, I'm very disappointed with myself for not connecting the dots. His demeanor, his looks… it's just so obvious now. For my defense, I was mesmerized by his leading man charm, and thus blind to his homosexuality. But it's now crystal clear: he is gay. So I'm happy for you, Kurt. You deserve it."

"Why, thank you, but how is it possible for you to say that? Jesse was horrible to you. He made you look like a fool."

"Don't get me wrong; I will hate Jesse St. James for the rest of my life. But he is not a bad person. Despite his proud and confident attitude, he is quite susceptible to peer pressure. He's too eager to impress. That may be why he's such a good performer."

"That reminds me of someone…" Kurt said with a lop-sided smile.

Rachel smiled back. "I am the same, I know. That's probably why we looked so good together, the leading man and the young ingénue. Jesse is a good catch, Kurt. Just… make sure he deserves your trust."

"Is that the only reason you came to see me, to give me your blessing? Not that I actually need it…"

"Of course not. I wanted to talk to you about Finn."

Kurt frowned. "What about him?"

"As the captain of New Directions, it is my duty to make sure that all of our members get as much rest as they can this summer in order to come back to glee practice in September with high spirits. And this tension between you and Finn is putting your morale in jeopardy."

"What are you talking about?" Kurt sighed.

"Finn is sad, Kurt. I know he does not approve of your relationship with Jesse, but give him a break… He is only trying to look out for you."

"How do you know that?"

"He talks about you a lot, you know… Just because he's not gay and doesn't care about you _that way_ does not mean he doesn't care about you at all, Kurt. It's quite the contrary; he really values your friendship, he looks up to you…which is kind of ironic, since he's so tall."

"It's getting him down that much that I'm mad at him?" Kurt asked, still incredulous.

"Oh yes. He called me yesterday evening and told me about your fight. He sounded very depressed."

Kurt suddenly felt very bad for the way he had treated Finn. He was still mad at Finn's blatant ways of showing his disapproval of Kurt's relationship with Jesse, but he hadn't needed to be so harsh. He had to find a way to make things right… and he suddenly had an idea.

"Thank you, Rachel, for your surprisingly helpful insights. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some things to do."

"No problem, Kurt. I'm always glad to help my fellow glee clubbers."

* * *

Finn came back half an hour later, his t-shirt stained with sweat.

"I got your text message… Is everything okay?" Finn asked cautiously when he saw the other boy in the living room.

Kurt smiled, and Finn seemed to relax a bit. "Yes. Sit down."

Finn obliged, and Kurt took a deep breath. "Things have been awkward between us lately, and it saddens me very much. This is why I've had the idea of hosting a barbecue party for the whole glee club here. We could organize it together."

Finn's face instantly lit up. "That's a terrific idea! But… do you really think it's the best way for us to get past our problems? I think if we just sit down and talk…"

Kurt instantly raised a hand to stop him. "No. I told you. I know what you think of my relationship with Jesse, and I am not interested in hearing your input on the matter yet again."

Finn looked unsure. "Uhm… okay…"

"You'll be in charge of buying the food, okay? Burger buns, meat, sausages… tofu ones for me, please…"

"I know what we have to buy for a barbecue, Kurt."

"Of course. I'm sorry. I'll take care of calling everybody. We'll do it this Saturday, is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

The taller boy looked nowhere as excited as he first had. But it was a good idea, Kurt kept repeating himself. A friendly get-together would be an excellent occasion for Finn to see just how perfect Kurt and Jesse were as a couple. Because the star of Vocal Adrenaline was invited to the party, it goes without saying.

* * *

"I have something to ask you."

Kurt and Jesse were lying in each other's arms on the taller boy's bed after a heavy make out session. The moment was ideal to tell Jesse about the upcoming barbecue party. Finn had to accept their relationship eventually, and anyway, what would be the point in throwing a party if his boyfriend couldn't even attend?

"What is it, love?" Jesse asked.

"I'm having a barbecue party at my house on Saturday, and I would like you to come."

Jesse's body tensed a bit. "I don't think this is such a good idea."

Kurt leaned up on his elbow. "Why?"

"Well, for starters, Finn will be there, won't he? He doesn't scare me one bit, and nothing he could ever say would keep me from being with you, but your relationship with him is already sore, so do you really want to fan the flames?"

"He needs to accept it, Jesse. He needs to accept _us_."

"Maybe. But then there's Rachel; she's Finn's girlfriend now, so she will surely be at the party, and there will be some drama if we meet again.

"But I don't give a damn about Rachel Berry! If she dares to say anything to you, there will be hell to pay."

Jesse caressed his boyfriend's cheek. "Is it really that important to you?"

"Yes. It is."

"Then I'll be there. For you." Jesse said before kissing Kurt's forehead.

* * *

Kurt was in a party supplies store with Mercedes. He knew he should have gone there with Finn, as a part of their party planning, but he couldn't miss the chance of telling Mercedes about the rather strange and unexpected conversation he had shared with Rachel.

He was going all out with this party: balloons, crepe paper chains and even a piñata. It was all impossibly corny, but he was sure it was the kind of traditional party Finn would love. Nothing too sophisticated, nice and traditional, just like him. The better his mood, the more likely he would accept Kurt and Jesse as a couple. The young man's arms were full of stuff as he recounted the whole conversation to his best friend.

"Finn really likes you that much?" she asked.

"Apparently, yes. But Rachel might be exaggerating; you know how she is…"

"It's not surprising coming from the glee club's golden boy, but this, added to the fact that he's so mad that you're seeing Jesse…"

Mercedes paused, and Kurt looked at her with curiosity. "…yes?"

"Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say that the boy's jealous."

Kurt rolled his eyes. That was Mercedes' conclusion to Finn's behavior? That he was jealous? That was utterly impossible. …Or was it?

"Oh, come on, as if! Finn is not jealous! He's not gay! He has already made it very clear, and he's in a relationship with Rachel."

"Maybe La Berry turned him gay? She's crazy enough for that!"

They both laughed as they walked to the cash register to pay for the party supplies.

"Maybe he just really likes you, and he doesn't want you to get hurt." Mercedes suggested.

"That doesn't explain why he's so persistent! Every time the topic is on the table, he has to make a scene. He almost punched Jesse after our first date."

"I know, but it's Finn we're talking about. He and Puck wanted to break Jesse's legs after he threw eggs at Rachel with the rest of his bunch."

"Yes, _Rachel_, not me! Our relationship has always been very one-sided, and I'm not even talking about the crush I had on him. _I_ love him, but I've never really felt any reciprocity."

"That proves my point, then. Rachel turned him gay, and now he wants your gay ass."

They had arrived at the cash register, and the employee gave them a weird look upon hearing Mercedes' last sentence. Kurt gave him an awkward smile. He paid for the supplies and they left the store, greeted outside by the hot July sun.

"Anyway, thank God you'll be at the party. I will really need your support if all hell breaks loose."

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't miss that drama for the whole world!"

Kurt laughed. "Oh, fruit fly of mine, have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"No, but it's nice to hear it."

"Wanna go for a swim in my pool?"

"Oh, hell yes. It's like an oven out here!"

They linked their arms and skipped to Kurt's Navigator.


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6 for you! I was inspired by the season premiere for this one! There's only one chapter left after that, and you won't have to wait long, it's already written and beta'd. :)**

* * *

The big day had finally arrived. Everyone was coming except Mike and Tina, who were gone to Asian camp, whatever that was. Even Mr. Schue was coming, and he had insisted on taking care of the grill. Matt had told Kurt that he would take the occasion to make an announcement, but had refused to give more details, which Kurt had found very intriguing.

The table was set with bowls full of chips and candies, and there were balloons all over the place. Kurt definitely had gone over the top with this, but Finn's reaction was well worth the effort. "Dude, this is _so _cool!" he had exclaimed upon seeing the decorated backyard after Kurt and Mercedes were done with it.

Rachel was the first to arrive, early in the afternoon. She was wearing plaid short shorts and a tank top with a wolf on it. "Please, kill me now…" Kurt had whispered to Mercedes.

Puck and Matt arrived next. The formerly-mohawked teenager was holding a 24-pack of beer, which was immediately confiscated by Burt. "No underage drinking under my watch, you punk!" Carole had rolled her eyes, knowing Puck's bad boy persona all too well.

"Would you like a soda, Noah?" Kurt asked the newcomer with a sarcastic smile. Puck grunted and took the _Pepsi_-filled plastic cup from the shorter boy's hand.

Quinn and Brittany arrived together, and Kurt greeted them. "Where is Santana?" he asked them.

Brittany looked at him vacantly and smiled. "She couldn't come, she just got a boo-" Quinn suddenly hit the other girl in the ribs. "She's ill, she said she was sorry."

Mr. Schuester got there a few minutes later. The members of the glee club were all quite surprised to see their teacher wearing a tank top, khaki shorts and flip flops. They had never seen him dressed so casual.

"Lookin' good, Mr. Schue!" Mercedes complimented him. The teacher blushed a little and thanked her.

"Thank you for inviting me, Kurt. This party is a great idea!" Will told the young man.

Artie was the last one to arrive. His dad drove him to Kurt's house, and Finn helped him reach the backyard. "Are you okay, man? You seem kinda down…"

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just miss Tina."

"Girls… can't live without 'em." Finn answered, giving his friend a pat on the shoulder.

"Yeah, you got that right…" the wheelchair-bound teenager answered.

As soon as Finn and Artie had joined the others, Kurt demanded everyone's attention.

"Glee club, welcome to the Hudson-Hummel barbecue extravaganza! I hope you will have as much fun as Finn and I had organizing this party. Now, I believe Matt has some sort of announcement to make…"

Matt blushed and stood up from the lounge chair where he was sitting. "Well, uhm… My dad was transferred to Columbus… We're moving next week. I'm not going back to McKinley."

Everyone gasped, and Brittany ran to Matt to give him a big hug.

_Talk about killing a mood!_ Kurt thought angrily, but he immediately felt guilty. It wasn't Matt's fault, after all. Fortunately, it would still be a while before Jesse arrived. Kurt had specifically asked him to arrive after the others, so people would be already enjoying themselves and be in a good mood. And by people, he meant Finn, of course. Kurt seriously didn't give a damn about what the others would think of his relationship with Jesse; the only ones who really counted were Mercedes and Finn.

Will squeezed Matt's shoulder, and wished him good luck for the future. The girls all gave Matt a hug, except Rachel, who gave him a handshake. "It was a pleasure singing with you, Matt. I'll make sure to mention you in the 'thank you' section of my first album, which I'll release after starring in at least three Broadway musicals."

"We'll miss you, man…" Puck told the young man, giving him a fist bump.

"Yeah, me too, you have no idea. I'll really miss the glee club."

The moment couldn't be better to start cooking the hot dogs and burgers, Kurt thought, in an attempt to lighten the mood. He went inside to get the meat, and as promised, Will took care of the grill, helped by Burt, who reluctantly let the teacher use his darling propane barbecue. Kurt was grateful to his father for being such a good host, because he knew he didn't like Mr. Schue very much.

While the food was cooking, Rachel decided to start an impromptu musical performance: she stood on the pool's deck and sang _California Gurls_ at the top of her lungs. Finn grinned and joined her, improvising himself into Snoop Dogg.

"Oh my god, could she possibly be more obnoxious?" Kurt told Mercedes; they both hated the song with a fierce passion, and they weren't so fond of Rachel either. They rolled their eyes even more when Quinn and Brittany sang the chorus with Rachel:

_California girls, we're unforgettable, Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top _

Puck, on the other hand, seemed extremely bored.

"Hey, Hummel. Did I seriously come here to see Rachel and Finn sing stupid songs? I did that the whole year in glee club!"

"This is all Rachel's doing, Noah. But don't worry, I'm sure they'll stop very soon."

Kurt glanced at the street in front of the house, and was both happy and anxious to see Jesse's Range Rover pull over. _This is it… showtime._

He saw his boyfriend walk to the fence on the side of the house, and immediately stood up from his chair to demand everyone's attention once again.

"I don't mean to interrupt your, ahem… _lovely_ concert, but I have something to tell you all. It may surprise you, and maybe anger some of you, but Jesse St. James and I are dating, and I invited him to this party."

Kurt turned to face the fence, which Jesse had opened to enter the backyard. The young man smiled timidly, obviously feeling out of place.

Before he could say another word, before he could even walk towards his boyfriend, Puck and Finn had run to the newcomer. Finn's face was red with anger.

"Get the hell out of here, St. James!" Finn yelled.

"Woah, calm down, Hudson! Kurt invited me."

"How about my fist inviting itself on your face, motherfucker?" Puck asked menacingly.

Kurt was seeing red. Finn was crossing the line once again, and it was enough. His hands on his hips, he started to walk towards the three boys, but was doubled by Rachel, who was walking so fast her ass seemed on fire. She pushed Puck aside and violently slapped Jesse. The striking sound resonated in everyone's ears, and they all stared at Rachel, speechless.

"I've been longing to do that for _months_."

Puck looked at Rachel with disbelief. "You go, girl!"

Kurt was in a white hot rage, he could barely think coherently. He finally rejoined the others, and roughly pulled Rachel's arm so she would face him.

"RACHEL BERRY, GET THE _FUCK_ OUT OF MY BACKYARD!"

Everyone knew that Kurt _never_ cursed. Ever. So they knew just how _dead_ serious he was at that moment.

Rachel stared at the young man, speechless. She had rightfully earned her right to slap Jesse, and she could not believe it was denied from her. Finn stepped between the two of them. "You can't tell her to leave! She's my girlfriend!"

"I can do whatever the fuck I want, Finn! I won't let that bitch slap my boyfriend and say nothing!"

"But he's a jerk! How can you possibly defend him?" Finn asked.

"He's my boyfriend! When will you finally accept it?" Kurt yelled.

"But he's not good for you!" Finn yelled back.

"Once and for all, why do you even give a shit, Finn?"

"'CAUSE YOU'RE MY BROTHER, DAMMIT!" Finn screamed.

Kurt couldn't answer. This was the last thing he had expected to hear. And at this moment, he realized just how badly he had misinterpreted Finn's reactions during the past few weeks. It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't even mere friendship. It was something Kurt had never suspected, something that now shone brightly: brotherly protection.

_Finn loves me like a brother,_ Kurt thought, _and I've been too self-absorbed to realize it._

Finn didn't wait for an answer from the shorter boy. He wrapped his arm around Rachel's shoulders protectively, and started to walk towards the fence. "Come on, Rach, we're out of here."

"There's no need," Jesse said, "I'm leaving."

The star of Vocal Adrenaline had his hand on his red and swollen cheek, and gave one last look to Kurt. The young man could see just how angry and humiliated his boyfriend was before he turned around and walked to his car at a fast pace.

"Jesse, wait!" Kurt yelled, and then he ran after him. Finn and Rachel went inside through the patio door.

"Oh… my god!" Quinn exclaimed, breaking the stunned silence.

"Santana will be so sad to have missed it…" Brittany said to herself.

"Schuester, the beef patties are burning!" Burt warned as he came back from the kitchen through the patio door.


	7. Chapter 7

"Jesse! Wait!"

Kurt had run after his boyfriend all the way to the side of the street, right next to the Range Rover, where the boy finally stopped. He turned around to face Kurt, and the shorter young man stopped moving instantly: Jesse seemed really pissed.

"I told you it was a bad idea! I told you I didn't want to come! Why did you have to push this?"

Kurt felt the tears coming to his eyes. Everything he had planned, the big event that would bring peace between the two boys of his life, was a total and complete failure. Not only was Finn mad at him, but so was Jesse, and he would probably break up on the spot.

"I'm so sorry…" Kurt whispered, his voice shaken by a heart-breaking sob.

Jesse's expression softened. He walked to the shorter boy and wrapped his arms around him, holding Kurt's head on his heart and caressing his hair.

"I- I ruined _everything_!" Kurt said between two sobs.

"Shh… shh… It's okay… I'm sorry I yelled."

"Y-You're not… gonna… break up with me?" Kurt asked.

Jesse cupped Kurt's face with his hands, and looked into his eyes. "No way. I care about you too much, Kurt. I love you."

A sweet smile found its way through the tears on Kurt's face. "I love you too, Jesse, I love you so much…"

Jesse lowered his head and kissed the tears off Kurt's face. The shorter boy closed his eyes and enjoyed the loving touch, his hands resting on his boyfriend's chest.

"Are you feeling better?" Jesse asked after a moment.

"I think so…" Kurt replied, attempting to regain some composure.

"Okay, then be as good a host as you can to your guests, skip the empty calories and come to my house tonight. I'll cook you a romantic meal and we'll cuddle while watching a movie of your choice."

"Thank you, I'd love that."

Jesse planted a kiss on Kurt's hand, a familiar gesture that he adored, and then the star of Vocal Adrenaline left in his car.

Kurt took several deep breaths and rubbed the drying tears off his face, then walked back to the backyard. As soon as she saw him, Mercedes pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"What do you say we wrap things up real quick?" Mercedes whispered to his ear.

"That would be beyond amazing." Kurt whispered back.

* * *

The other teenagers all ended up at Mercedes' house to continue the party, to Kurt's relief. He was finally able to go back inside after telling his best friend how much he worshipped her before they left. The ruined burgers and hot dogs ended up in the trash, and a sheepish Will went back home as well.

Kurt carefully went down the stairs to his bedroom. Finn and Rachel were there, talking quietly on the quarterback's bed.

"Hi…" Kurt said.

They both looked at him, Rachel with anxiety, Finn with resentment. Kurt kept his eyes on the floor. He had seriously messed up with both of them, and it was now time to make amends.

"Rachel, I'm very sorry for screaming at you and calling you a bitch. I overreacted."

"It's okay… I did slap your boyfriend, after all, and since we're New Directions' two biggest divas, a clash of this type wasn't surprising. Like I already told you, I'm happy that you're with Jesse – even though Finn strongly disagrees with me on this point – but ever since he smashed an egg on my forehead, I've been _aching_ to slap him. The occasion was too perfect, I couldn't think clearly. But I shouldn't have… I didn't want to hurt you. I apologize."

"Thank you, Rachel."

They looked at each other awkwardly. "I guess you boys must have a lot to talk about, so I'll go home now."

Rachel gave Finn a quick peck on the lips, and then disappeared up the stairs.

Kurt sat next to Finn, his hands on his lap. Finn's body seemed very stiff; Kurt could see the tensed muscles on his jaw.

"Did you mean it?" Kurt finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Did I mean what?" Finn asked with a coarse voice.

"When you said that I'm your brother…"

Finn seemed to relax a bit. He closed his eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Yeah, of course I did." Finn answered, opening his eyes and looking at Kurt for the first time since Rachel had left.

"You really care for me that much?"

"Yeah. I do."

Kurt's heart swelled inside of his chest. It felt so good to be loved by the boy he himself had loved for so long, in a way he had never thought possible.

"Finn, I've been such an idiot. I was so mad at you for not accepting my relationship with Jesse, but I never understood where it came from."

Finn smiled apologetically. "I did kind of react like a lunatic…"

Kurt smirked. "I'm glad you realize it."

"You gotta understand, though… This guy has already messed up so many things in my life! He seduced Rachel when I wanted to be with her, and then he hurt her… He stole the win from us at Regionals…"

Kurt held his hand in protest. "I have to stop you right here. Jesse showed me a tape of Vocal Adrenaline's number at Regionals. Their performance of _Bohemian Rhapsody_ was absolutely stellar. We just didn't measure up to them… yet. We were much better than those Aural Intensity people, though… So if someone screwed us over, it's coach Sylvester and her BFF Olivia Newton-John. I swear to God, ever since Regionals, I can't bear the mere sight of my _Grease_ DVD."

Finn laughed. "Okay, forget what I said about Regionals. He really did hurt Rachel though… and I couldn't do anything. I was powerless. So God forbid I let him hurt you, too. If he did, it would be just as bad, if not worse, than when he hurt Rachel… because you're family. The truth is… I love you, man. In a totally non-romantic, brotherly way."

Kurt' wide smile showed how immensely happy he was at that moment. "I love you too, Finn. I'm so glad to be your brother."

"Can I have a hug?" Finn asked, making puppy eyes.

"Of course, silly!" Kurt laughed.

Finn moved closer to him and they hugged. Kurt rested his chin on the taller boy's shoulder, amazed by the brotherly love they had for each other.

"Can you just promise me one thing?" Finn asked after they broke the embrace.

"Sure, what is it?"

"If Jesse ever hurts you, if he makes you cry, if he's not being the perfect gay guy that I know you deserve, I want you to tell me, so I can kick his ass."

Kurt laughed. "Deal." They sealed the promise with a fist bump.

* * *

"Are you going somewhere?" Finn asked half an hour later when Kurt appeared in the living room in skinny jeans and a designer shirt.

"Yes, I am. I'm going to Jesse's, he's cooking me dinner to cheer me up for this afternoon."

"Are you going there by yourself?"

"Huh, yes. I have my Navigator for a reason, you know."

"Uhm… Could he come here and pick you up instead? There's something I have to say to him."

Kurt frowned. "Finn…"

"No, really, Kurt, I'm not gonna freak out again. I won't punch him, I won't insult him, heck, I won't even yell at him. I swear."

"You're very mysterious all of a sudden… Okay, I'll call him."

Kurt picked up his cell phone and called his boyfriend. He explained the situation to him, and Jesse obliged, even though he didn't seem quite sure of Finn's good intentions.

When the Range Rover pulled over, Finn went outside and closed the door behind him. Kurt could do nothing but look outside at the boys through the window.

"Jesse…" Finn greeted as the young man got out of his vehicle.

"Finn…" Jesse replied, looking at the quarterback with suspicion.

"I have to talk to you. It won't take long, I promise."

"Go ahead."

Finn looked straight into the other boy's eyes. "I don't like you, Jesse. You have treated Rachel like dirt, and I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for allowing that. But I have to warn you: you gotta keep Kurt happy. If you make him sad, if you hurt him, there will be consequences. Kurt likes you, so I'll have to deal with it. But don't you dare hurt him."

"I won't, Finn. I love him."

"Well, so do I. That's one thing we have in common."

In the living room, Kurt let out a squeal of happiness as he saw the two most important boys of his life shake hands. He never thought it could happen one day, but really, at this moment, he had it all. He felt like the luckiest man in the world.

THE END

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this story! I am planning 3 one-shot sequels to Summer of Love, but for now I'm working on another story about Finn, Kurt and Sam. Thank you for all the reviews, it was much appreciated! :)**


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